Centrifugal casting machine



July 8.1924. 150mm y lw. T. JANNEY CENTRIFUGAL CASTING MACHINE FiledAug. v, 1922 a sheets-sheet 1 Il li -July 8. 1924- 1.500,7@8 W. T.JANNEY CENTRIFUGAL GASTINGr-MACJHINE y Filed Aug. '7, 1922 3Sheets-Sheet 2 July 8 1924.

' w. T. JANNEY ING MACHINE CENTRIFUGAL CAST Filed Aug. '7, 1922 5Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented July 8, 1924.

WALTER T. JANNEY, or PHILADELPH1A,'PENNSYLVANIA.

-CENTRIFUGAL CASTING MACHINE.

i Application filed August 7, 1922. Serial No. 580,162.

'0 all whom t 11mg/ concern.'

Be, it known that l, VALTER T. JANNEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia. in the county of Philadelphia. and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCentrifugal Casting Machines, of which the following is a'specification.

My invention relates to centrifugalV casting machines.

An import-ant object in view is to providca device of this characterwith means for reliably and `yet yieldingly holding the lid and mold inoperative engagement with each other during the casting operation, sothat the sudden expansion of the mold which invariably takes place whenthe mass of molten metal is lsuddenly poured into it, will not subjectthe parts to undue' strain., and will not in anyway unfavorably affectthe perfect operation of the machine.

Another object is to provide a centrifugal casting machine'having meansfor holding the lid rigid on the machine, and means for holding the moldin yielding engagement with the lid.

Still another object is to provide mechanism permitting the employmentof electromagnetic means for this purpose.

Another object is to provide means for the employn'ient of centrifugalforce for pressing the mold into yielding engagement with the lid. f

A further object is to provide a mold or die formed in sections andhaving a suitable carrier and' lid ymovable toward and from each other`between which carrier and lid the mold is held, said parts being allarranged to employ the movement of the carrier and lid toward each otherto hold the sections of the mold in operative relation to each other,and means for yieldingly pressing the carrier and lid` the. one towardthe other. j

Still anotherl object is to provide a lid having annular slots for theescape of the excess metal poured into the mold.

-eonsists of a revoluble basketl having-a lid Other objects will appearinthe subjoined description.

An important feature of the invention rigidly held thereon againstoutward movement: and a mold carried inside the basket; and meansincluding centrifugal force, or electro-magnetism, for yieldinglyholding the mold in engagement with the lid.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction andarrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is asectional view of a form of my device in which centrifugal 'force isemployed to press the mold and lid together.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the centrifugal mechanism and pulley. v

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the plunger used with this form of thedevice.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a form of my device in which I employelectro-magnetism to hold the sections of the mold in yieldingengagement with each other and with the lid.

Fig. 5 is a plan view showing the electromagnets and the pulley on whichthey are mounted.

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the form of the device illustrated inFigs. 1 and 4.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the lid used with this forniof the device.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is an end view of the mold or die. the mold being shown in thisview as formed in two sections spaced from each other for betterillustration.

Fig. 10 is a side-elevation of Fig. 9; and,

Fig. 11 is a brokensectiona-l side elevation of one of the castingsformed in the mold .illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10', which is the sameform of mold shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

Attention is called in the outset to the fact that centrifugal force hasbeen employed to yieldingly hold the lids on centrifugal castingmachines, which arrangement works very well when the molds are heldsuflicient- -ly upright to hold the lids in operxti've position on themby gravity till the machinery is 'speeded up suficiently to make thecentrifugal mechanism grip the lids. But,-for the majority of castings,the molds should be disposed horizontally, in which position gravitywill cause the lids to fall off the molds before the machine startsrevolving, unless other means be provided for holding them in operativeposition till vthe centrifugal mechanism has been caused to revolve fwith sufficient rapidity to grip the lidsf With my arrangement, no suchdifficulty can exist, even when centrifugal force is employed, as shownin Fig. 1, to hold the lids and molds in operative relation to eachother, for in my construction, instead of the i force whatsoever :V sothat the great advantage of having a stationary lid; cooperating with amovable mold, becomes more and more apparent. Referring further to thedrawlngs, the numeral 1 indicates a housing having a large centralopening 2 at its forward end, and at its inner end an integral sleeve 3into, which is cast a long bearin 4, which supports a. hollow shaft 5,having at its inner end inside the housing 1, a heavy flange 6, andbeyond the sleeve 3 of the housing, a pulley 7 rigidly held thereon. Abasket 8 is rigidly held on the flange 6 by stud bolts 9, and looselyitting inside this basket is a mold cup 10 which serves as a containerfor the two halves of the split die or mold 11, it being understood, ofcourse, that the die may be divided into more than two sections ifdesired. A

A lid 12 holds the cup 10 and the die 11 in the basket 8.

Thelid is provided on its inner side-with an annular inclined face 13,and the bottom of the cup 10 has a correspondingly inclined face 14. Thetwo ends of the sectional moldl presses the lid into engagement with thelugs 18 at the open end of the basket 8. l

The hdis provided with a central opening 12L and annular slots 17, theexterior diameter of which is equal to the interior diameter of thecasting 11* to belforined. The basket is provided with four inwardlyextendlng lugs 18 behind which the four outwardly projecting lugs 19 arereceived, as more clearly illustrated in Fig. 6, which iigurerefers tothe forms of the device t'rated in Figs. 1 and 4.

In the form of the device illustrated in illus- Fig. 1, the opening inthe hollow shaft 5 is suitably enlarged at its inner end to vreceive thepluncgler 20 which has a piston 21 at its inner en and a smaller piston22 spaced therefrom. The stem ofthe plunger 2( carries a compressionspring 24 which 1s received around said stem between the small piston22and the thrust plate 23, which is rigidly secured to the shaft 5 andhas a central opening 26 adapted to snugly receive said stem 20, bywhich arrangementl the plunger has imparted to it by the sprlng atendency' to always move outwardly.

In the form of the device illustrated in Fig. 4, I have providedelect-rical means for pressing the mold into engagement w1th the lid. Inthis form ofthe device the plunger 20 has an integral extension 31,which has a soft iron plate rigidly secured toits projecting outer end.The pulley 33 which is rigidly mounted on the hollow shaft 5, earries onits hub a copper ring 34 which is insulated from said hub by a ibrecollar 35. This ring thro-ugh carbon brush 36 and wire 37 is incontinuous contact ,with a source of direct current energy. The pulley33 also has rigidly mounted thereon four soft iron cores 38 which arewound with insulated wires 39 each leading from the copper ring 34.These wires are Wound in such a manner that the opposite cores 38 willform.mag netic poles of opposite polarity when a direct current ispassed into the ring 34 and thence through the wires 39 forming thecoils 40 around the cores, and thence returning to the battery throughthe frame of the machine. Then a direct current is passed from the ring34 through the coils 40, the cores 38 forma four-pole magnet, and as thelid is made of magnetic material', it is drawn toward the magnetic poleswhich causes the plunger 20 to pness the v'cup 10 and the mold carriedthereby.

In the form of the device shown in Fig. 1, centrifugal force is employedto operate the plunger 20. The arrangement is very simple', the plungerbeing provided with an integral extension 59 which is pivoted at itsouter projecting end at 60 to'the inner ends of the centrifugal levers61 which are fulcrumed at 62 to ears 63 carried on the outer end of thehollow shaft 5. These levers have at their outer free ends the wei hts64. The

^ centrifugal levers are preferab y bifurcated Aat their inner ends, asshown infFig. 2 of the drawings, to 'cause them to pull equally on eachend of their respective pivots. Motion isimparted to the device by thepulley 7.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a front-end elevation of the Jform of the devicelillustrated in Figs. 1 and 4, with the lid in operative position, thelugs 19 thereof being passed in behind thev inwardly extending lugs 18of the revoluble basket 8, and the annular slots being arranged to forma casting of the form' shown in Figs. 1, 4, and 11. Fig. 7 shows the lidremoved from -the basket in order to make its'construction perfectly,plain when taken 1n connection with Fig. 8, which were not made insections, the casting could` not be removed from it without destroyingthe mold.

The operation of my device is as follows y Referring first to Fig. 1,and assuming that the parts are disassembled, -With the plunger 20forced to the farthest position to the right by the spring 24, the cup10 isv placed in the basket 8; then the sections of the split die areassembled in the cup; then the lid 12 is slipped into the open end ofthe basket into engagement with the split.

die and is turned to bring its lugs 19 behind the lugs 18 of the basket;the machine is then caused to rotate rapidly by means of a power beltpassed around the pulley 7.

- The centrifugal mechanism then operates 4practically fills it, thesuction to force the piston 21 against the bottom of the cup 10 pushingthe cup and the die 11 and the lid outwardly till the lugs 19 of the.lid are firmly pressed against the lugs 18 of the basket; the moltenmetal is then poured into the mold through the opening 12a at'the centreof the lid, which opening `is smooth' and true and therefore does notbump or jar the tile spout through which the metal is poured. The metaltakes the form of the mold, and if there be any excess metal it passesout through the.annular slots 17 and is caught in the casing 1.

As the mold is rapidly revolved preparatory to pouring the molten metal,the air is exhausted from the mold through the openings 17 of the lidwhich causes a continuous current of air to be s-ucked in through thecentral opening 12a. But when the spout is entered into this centralopening and operates on the molten4 metal in the spout to draw it veryrapidly into the mold,.causing it to be come more quickly and moreevenly distributed over the entire inner surface of the mold, which is adecided advantage.

The pressure of the piston 2l against the cup 10 presses the' diebetween the cupvand the lid with the inclined faces of both cup and vlid'in engagement with the inclined faces of the die, so that however muchthe die may expand from the heat of the molten metal, or lhowever suddenthe expansion may be, the sections of the die will be yieldingly held inrm operative relation to eac-h other by reason of the resiliency of thecentrifugal force. For the same reason the expansion of the Idie in alongitudinal di rection will be permitted by the plunger 20.

lVhen the metal has been poured, the machine is stopped, and thecentrifugal pressure imposed upon the cup 10 through the piston 2l is ofcourse relieved, which permits the plunger 20 to be forced to the rightby the spring 24; this in turn relieves the pressure against the lid andpermits it to be easily removed from the basket; the casting and the dieare then removed from the cup by a pair of expanding tongs and thesections of the die are jarred loose from the casting, and the parts areready for the operation t'o be repeated.

The easy and quick removal of the lid provided for in my constructionpermits the machine to be operated, time after time, in rapidsuccession.

rI`he thickness of the wall of the casting is determined by the positionof the curved slots 17, so that only a differently slotted lid isnecessary to produce a casting with a thicker or a thinner wall.

In the form of the device illustrated in Fig. 4, the operation is thesame as in Fig. 1, except that in Fig. 4 electro-magnetism is employedinstead of centrifugal force to press the plunger against the cup 10.

Special attention is now called to a great advantage which I ygain bymaking the mold movable relatively to the lid, instead of making the lidmovable relatively to the mold as has been heretofore done. Take forinstance the form of the device illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings:if the electrical mechanism were arranged to operate directly on the lidof the device, it would probably have to be so close to the lid, thatthe part corresponding to the plate 32 would become so heated, when themold was used continuously, time after time, that said part would ceaseto be magnetic, and would at that point become inoperative. But with thearrangement shown, the plate 32 can be moved as far as may be desiredfrom the mold. so that it will never become overheated.

Still again, take the form of the device shown in Fig. 1, which permitsthe centrifugal -weights to be so far removed from the hot metal, thatthey never become overheat-ed, and the parts are not in Adanger o fbinding, `and can be easily kept oiled, whereas in the ordinaryconstruction in which the lidof the mold is directlypressed bycentrifugal mechanism, said mechanism necesmeans for yieldingly pressingthe cup and mold and lid into engagement with each other.

2.y The combination with a mold of a cupshaped guide for looselyreceiving the same and forming a closure for one end thereof; a rigidlyheld lid for closing the other end of the mold, the cup being spacedfrom the lid and movable relatively thereto; and means for yieldinglypressing the cupshaped guide toward the lid.

3. VIn centrifugal casting machines, a revoluble basket; a cup-shapedguide loosely carried in the basket; la mold carried in the guide withthe bottom of the guide forming a closure for one end of thg mold; -alid rigidly held on the basket for 'closing the ot er end of the mold,the guide being spaced from the lid and being movable relativelythereto; and means for yiledingly pressing the guide and mold and lidinto engagement with each other.

4. In a centrifugal casting machine, a

revoluble basket; a mold-carrying cup and a lid carried by the basket,each having an inclined interior surface; a sectional mold receivedbetween said cup and lid, said mold being provided with exterior,inclined surfacesadapted to be engaged by said interior inclined surfaceofthe cup. and lid, the cup having guided movement relatively to thelid; and means for yieldingly pressing the cup and lid toward eachother, whereby to yieldingly hold the sections of the mold in engagementwith each other.

' 5. In Va centrifugal casting machine, a revoluble. basket having anopen end; a guide cup in said vbasket and a lid for the vopen end of thebasket, said guide cup Vand lid having oppositely isposed interiorinclined surfaces; a sectional mold received between said` guide cup andlid, said mold being provided with exterior' inclined sur- 1nfaces adated to be engaged by said terior sur aces of the guide cup and lid, theguide cup bein movable onthe basket relatively to the li and carryingthe mold with it, and the basket having an opening in the bottomthereof; a plunger for said open` zing; and means for yieldinglypressi-ng the lunger into engagement with thev guide cup 1n the basketto move the basket toward the Jlid; whereby to yieldingly press thesections of the'mold into engagement with each other', and to permit theunavoidable expansion of the moldv sections relatively to` each otherwhen the molten metal is poured into the mold. p

` 6. In centrifugal casting machines, a

revolu'ble basket openat its front end; a ide cup loosely received intothe basket lt rough said open end; anda lid for said ogen end thereof,the guide -cup being mova le relatively to the lid; a lmold ooselymounted in the guide-cup between the same lguide cup.

7. A centrifugal casting machine comprising a housing open at its frontend and having a sleeve extending centrally from its rear end; arevoluble basket in the housing, said basket having an open front endand a hollow shaft extending from its rear end through said sleeve ofthe housing in which it has bearing, the interior of the shaft openinginto the basket; a guide cup loosely received in the basket and a lidfor said open end thereof, the guide cu being movable relatively t'o the11d; a mo d loosely received in the guide-cup between the same and thelid; a plunger mounted in said hollow shaft and adapted to engage theguide cup in the basket and means connected with the plungerforyieldingly pressing the same into engagement with the guide cup, tourge the same toward the lid; and means for imparting rotation to thebasket.

8. In centrifugal casting machines, a revoluble basket open at its frontend; a guide cup loosely' received into the basket; a lid for said openend of the basket, fthe guide' cup being movablerelativelyI to' the lid;a mold loosely received in the guide-cup between the same and the lid; ahollow shaft extending outwardly from the rear side of thebasket with-the interior of the shaft opening into the basket; a lunger mounted insaid shaft and adapted) fto engage the guide cup in the basket; meansfor` normally holding the plunger out of en agement with the guide cup;and means or yeldingly pressing the guide cup toward the lid. 9. In.centrifugal casting machines, a revoluble basket; a guide-cup looselyreceived in Ithebasket; a mold formed in sections and loosely receivedinto the guide-cup with the v bottom of the guide-cup forming a closurefor one end of the mold; a lid rigidly held on the basket for closingthe otherend of the mold, the ide-cup being spaced from the lid andbelng movable relatively thereto; and means for yieldingly pressing theguide-cup and mold toward lthelid, said sectional mold and end closurestherefor being provided with means for utilizing the pressures on theguide-cup to also vyieldingly.

hold the sections of the mold in. operative relation to. each other. f

10. In centrifugal casting machines, a revoluble basket; a `guide-cuploosely received inthe basket; a -mold formed in sections and looselyreceived into the guidecup, with the bottom of the guide-cup forming a.'bottom for one end of the mold, the

and from the lid, and the support being ar-` ranged to guide the mold insaid movements; a plunger for moving the mold; means for automatic-allyholding the plunger normally in inoperative position; and means foryieldingly pressing the same toward the mold, whereby to hold the moldin yielding engagement'with the lid.

12. In centrifugal casting machines, a revoluble basket open at itsfront end; a guide cup loosely received into the basket; a mold looselyreceived into the guide cup a lid rigidly held at the open end of thebasket, the guide cup being movable relatively to the lid; and means foremploying centrifugal force to impart to the guide cup and mold guidedmovement on the basket toward the lid.

13. In centrifugal casting machines, a revoluble basket open at itsfront end;'a guide cup loosely received into the basket; a mold looselyreceived into the ide cup a lid rigidly held at the open eng of thebasket, the

guide cup being movable relatively to the lid, said basket having achamber at the rear side thereof in communication-with the interior ofthe basket; a plunger mounted in said chamber to move toward and fromlthe guide cup; a spring for normally pressing the plunger in thedirection away from the guide cup; and means employing centrifugal forcefor pressing the plunger toward the guide cup, whereby to yieldinglyress the guide cup and mold toward the lid, the lid and guide cup andsectional mold carried thereby being provided with means for utilizingthe centrifugal pressure to also yieldingly hold the mold sections inoperative relation to each other. V

14. In centrifugal casting machines, the combination with a revolublemold of a lid therefor at the pouring end of the mold having a centralopening for the introduction of molten metal and a plurality of openingsin the lid equally spaced from said central opening for the escape ofexcess metal.

15. In centrifugal casting machines, the combination with a revolublemold of a lid therefor at the-front end of the mold, said lidhaving acentral opening for the introduction of molten metal and a plurality ofannular slots surrounding said central opening andV equally spacedtherefrom for the escape of excess metal from the mold, and for creating-a vacuum inthe mold when rapidly revolving.

.In testimony whereof I aflix my si ature.

WALTER T. JAN EY.

